I Became a Mythical Knight King

Chapter 78: Anyway, Assassination (3)

Baron Robert had admired chivalric literature since his childhood.

A knight who fights a powerful dragon to save people, and rescues a princess kidnapped by an evil wizard—a brave and glorious knight.

His dream, of course, was to become such a magnificent knight, as he grew up listening to stories of knights read to him every night by his nanny.

But unfortunately, Baron Robert lacked the talent to be a knight.

No, he didn’t even have the talent to be a soldier.

He was severely clumsy.

When, as a child, he heard from a famous knight, whom his father had invited, that it was impossible for him to become a knight, Baron Robert felt as though the world had collapsed around him.

After crying for three days and nights, he finally accepted the reality, changing his future ambition from becoming a magnificent knight to becoming a magnificent lord, but his passion for chivalric literature didn’t fade.

The longing for something one cannot have often grows stronger.

Baron Robert was not a particularly famous collector or critic, but he was a passionate chivalric literature enthusiast.

His library was filled with chivalric literature that he had collected using the finances that wouldn’t interfere with his goal of becoming a “magnificent lord,” and in a secret room of the library, there was a magnificent set of armor that he would occasionally try on when feeling melancholic.

The knight Baron Robert admired most was Sir Charles, the heir to Count Artois and the greatest knight in Count Artois’ territory.

With a chivalry that could turn into an angel, he resembled the knights from the chivalric stories that Robert had admired in his childhood.

When Sir Charles saw Baron Robert, who would always shine his eyes suspiciously at him, he didn’t find it creepy but instead gave him an autograph (though he did have a look on his face as if wondering if that’s really what Robert wanted), giving him a kind treatment.

But as always, everything changed.

One day, Baron Robert heard a new story about a knight.

The Black Knight of Lothian.

A wandering knight who appeared suddenly in Lothian, which was on the brink of destruction after the invasion of the kobolds.

He slew the kobold prince and saved Lothian, and after the death of Baron Latus, he became the lord of Lothian.

At this point, it seemed like a typical chivalric tale, but what followed was even more extraordinary.

The Black Knight of Lothian went on to traverse Baron Volano’s territory, which had been destroyed by trolls and goblins, with a beautiful female wizard by his side.

His goal was simple.

To save the people remaining in Baron Volano’s territory.

It was madness.

No, it wasn’t madness—it was truly the epitome of chivalry.

He saved countless people from Baron Volano’s territory and finally defeated the trolls and goblins to liberate the land.

Then, Baron Robert learned one more thing.

The Black Knight of Lothian was actually a descendant of Camelot.

How could something be this perfect?

It was truly the pinnacle of stories.

When the story about the Lord’s meeting hosted by Count Carian came up, Baron Robert desperately wanted to attend but couldn’t.

His lord, Count Artois, had selected Baron William to attend the meeting instead.

It was quite disappointing, but as a noble, he knew he had to follow his lord’s command unless it was an undignified request.

So, even when he heard the story that the Black Knight of Lothian had defeated a necromancer and an army of the undead invading Lothian, he didn’t stubbornly insist on attending the Lord’s meeting, instead shedding only a tear of regret.

And right now Baron Robert couldn’t help but doubt his ears.

“What, what’s going on?”

“Well, the Black Knight of Lothian said he would cut off the enemy general’s head to delay the enemy’s advance.”

A 5,000-strong ratman army was marching toward Baron Robert’s lands but the plan that the Black Knight of Lothian devised to delay their advance was simple.

He would infiltrate between the 5,000 soldiers and assassinate the enemy general.

“No, how is that assassination? That’s not assassination! It’s suicide!”

“Well, anyway. He said he’d do that.”

Walter, the soldier who had been ordered by Yoo Seong to act as a messenger, responded with a face that looked like he was about to lose his mind and Baron Robert grew angry again.

“So, what’s the result? Did you bring the result?”

“Well, I was told to hurry to Baron Robert’s land and spread the news, so there was no choice.”

Walter, who was also curious about what had happened to Yoo Seong, had no choice but to hurry to Baron Robert’s territory.

After all, getting caught by lingering around wasn’t an option.

“Grrr…Fine. I got it. Leave.”

“Yes.”

Walter sighed with relief as he left, and Baron Robert, with a nervous expression, looked to the south.

He was worried about the Black Knight of Lothian infiltrating the enemy ranks, but more than that, the fact that a 5,000-strong army was heading toward his land was truly terrifying.

“Please, please create another miracle.”

Oh, Black Knight of Lothian.

Baron Robert clasped his hands together and prayed, again and again.

And the next day the ratman army did not appear.

Standing on the castle wall, Baron Robert held onto a flicker of hope.

And the next day again, the ratman army still did not appear.

Why?

Why weren’t they coming?

There was only one reason.

And so, Baron Robert stood on the castle wall, tears of emotion welling up.

And then the next day.

Early in the morning, standing on the castle wall, Baron Robert shouted with joy.

“It’s the Black Knight of Lothian!”

Indeed.

The Black Knight of Lothian was riding a magnificent black horse, proudly charging toward them.

Beside him were the beautiful wizard and the graceful holy maiden.

“Hoo! I knew it!”

To infiltrate the 5,000-strong army and decapitate the enemy general—such a feat, which would have been criticized as unrealistic even in chivalric literature, had actually been achieved.

Baron Robert, who had gone out to meet him by the castle gates, shed tears of joy, and Rene smiled brightly, while Yoo Seong’s face was slightly troubled but soon broke into a smile.

“What happened? What went on?”

As they moved inside the castle, Baron Robert asked, and those around him also had curious expressions.

Instead of explaining himself, Yoo Seong handed over the floor to Rene, who was eager to speak, and Rene, with a jubilant face, said:

“The Successor infiltrated between the 5,000-strong army and assassinated the enemy general, Red Eye.”

Everyone looked at Jillian when they heard Rene’s explanation, and Jillian simply nodded with a smile that seemed to say, “I’m not surprised.”

“Oooh!”

It was true.

He really had infiltrated the 5,000-strong army and assassinated the enemy general.

“And he also assassinated the newly dispatched Red Eye.”

“Yes?”

What, did he assassinate another one?

Red Eye?

So, two enemy generals?

But that wasn’t all.

“He annihilated 300 of Red Eye’s escort troops and then defeated the 5,000-strong army that had been waiting, anticipating their commander’s arrival.”

When Rene spoke, Baron Robert blinked.

For a moment, he couldn’t understand what Rene had said.

Defeat the 5,000-strong army?

How?

No, before that, annihilate 300 escort soldiers?

How?

As countless question marks shot up above the heads of Baron Robert and his retinue, Rene smiled with satisfaction, and Yoo Seong gave a wry smile.

He had realized that Rene had intentionally told the story this way.

“Rene.”

When Yoo Seong spoke softly to her, Rene gave him a playful smile and then continued to tell the next part of the story to the captivated Baron Robert and his retinue.

Baron Robert’s face brightened as Yoo Seomg signed on a shield held out to him.

“You said a courier has arrived?”

“Yes, there was news that the first reinforcement army from the Western Lords Alliance is soon to arrive.”

Baron Robert continued, smiling broadly.

“The scale is about 4,000. The vanguard will be led by Baron Anjou.”

One of the two independent territories located between Count Artois territory and Count Carian’s territory was Baron Anjou’s.

“Good news indeed. Thank you.”

“I was just delivering the news. It’s all thanks to the Black Knight.”

If Yoo Seong hadn’t stalled, it wouldn’t have mattered whether the Western Lords Alliance reinforcements arrived or not—Baron Robert’s territory would have already been taken by the ratmen, so this wasn’t an exaggeration.

“Well, I’ll take my leave now. Please rest easy.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

When Yoo Seong extended his shield, Baron Robert gave him a happy smile, hugged the shield tightly, and left the room.

Then, after a few seconds.

Once Baron Robert’s footsteps disappeared, Rene turned to Yoo Seong and said:

“Truly, Count Carian. He’s really capable.”

Forming an alliance and sending troops was no simple task.

Gathering troops from various places was already difficult, but gathering supplies for those troops and transporting them was an even greater challenge.

Thanks to Count Carian’s skill and enormous wealth, the swift dispatch of reinforcements was possible.

“True. With this, it really looks promising.”

When all the reinforcements were combined with the garrison troops stationed at Baron Robert’s territory, the total force would be close to 5,000.

Though Baron Robert’s castle walls couldn’t compare to Lothian’s or Lushen’s, they were still walls.

If they fought near the walls, they could hold off even an army of 10,000 ratmen.

Now, the only remaining question was how to stop the ratmen’s new leader, the Rat Lord.

In fact, the answer had already come from the battlefield.

In the middle of the night, when the Western Lords Alliance vanguard was supposed to arrive, Yoo Seong had sent out his men, making sure the vanguard was truly approaching.

When the Western Lords vanguard reached Baron Robert’s territory, Yoo Seong sent someone to fetch Baron Robert.

And then.

“The reinforcements have arrived.”

As the loud announcement came, Baron Robert rushed out of his room.

In his dream, he had never imagined this day would come.

Not in a million years.

There was only one thing he had been longing for since he was a child.

A knight. A true knight.

And he was witnessing the arrival of one.

Baron Robert had finally realized that he had found the true knight he had dreamed of his entire life.

Yoo Seong, no, the Black Knight of Lothian.

Rat Lord Balakai let out a hollow laugh.

It was the first time since crossing the wall that he had heard such an absurd story.

Two Red Eyes were killed, and 5,000 soldiers retreated.

By just three people.

Gellion, the Blue Eye who had been forced to report to Balakai due to a factional struggle, swallowed dryly, keeping his head lowered.

He feared that the enraged Balakai might trample him or tear him apart.

But fortunately, that didn’t happen.

Since Gellion had his head lowered and his eyes tightly shut, it was unclear to him, but Balakai wasn’t angry—instead, he was smiling.

Balakai remembered the day he met the old, weary Rat Lord.

He had spoken with fearful eyes about the human monsters who had shattered the god of the ratmen.

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

They no longer existed.

They were just remnants of the past, appearing only in stories.

Balakai deeply regretted this fact.

Humans were weak.

They were a pitiful race, not much different from the pitiful ratman slaves.

The fact that something like the Knights of the Round Table had appeared among such weak humans intrigued Balakai.

Perhaps it was a sense of camaraderie.

For he, the Rat Lord, was also a miraculous existence born among the weak ratmen.

“But now, there are no Knights of the Round Table.”

“Huh?”

Gellion, who had unintentionally asked the question, flinched and shrank back.

Instead of looking at Gellion, Balakai turned his gaze away and continued speaking.

“There is no King. No Knights of the Round Table. The knights I met beyond the wall were all terribly weak.”

Had it been the comfort brought by the fire of civilization?

Or perhaps Balakai himself had not yet met the true strong ones.

Balakai hoped it was the latter.

That was why, despite the absurd defeat, he smiled instead of becoming angry.

“I will depart tomorrow morning.”

Balakai spoke briefly.

The Blue Eye who had knelt at his feet mumbled something and withdrew, but Balakai didn’t pay it any attention.

This time, he hoped it would be an enemy worth hunting.

As he stroked the skulls embedded in the weapon, Balakai closed his eyes.

He imagined a virtual enemy in his mind and the next morning a ratman army of 12,000 began its march toward Baron Robert’s territory.